The Nazca Lines are among the most interesting places to visit in Peru and many people choose to stay in Nazca while they tour these famous and mysterious desert mosaics. What many people don't realize however is that the beautiful beaches of Paracas are only three hours from the Nazca Lines, which makes them easily accessible as a day trip from your comfortable beachside Peru hotel. If you are planning to spend a few days around the Nazca area, Paracas can be a nicer option than the small town of Nazca because you can stay on the beach.
For a less strenuous tour than a hike along the Inca Trail or into the heart of the Amazon, but one that will still take you to new heights and feed your curiosity for pre-Inca cultures, book a three day tour that begins with the beautiful Paracas Bay marine reservation and continues to the ancient and mysterious Nazca Lines. Just south of Lima, these sites are well-researched and well-preserved. Paracas, influenced by the Chavin culture, is in many ways similar to the Nazca culture, as the impressive Candelabra figure near the Ballestas Islands shows.
When people mention Peru, if they know anything about the country at all, they associate it with the World Heritage site of Machu Picchu. Although Machu Picchu is stunning, beautiful, fascinating, breathtaking and the hundreds of other compliments that it is given, there are other ruins just as amazing, and arguably better to visit, especially if you are up for a little bit of adventure and trekking.
No trip to Peru would be complete without sampling a glass or two of its famous national drink, Pisco Sour. The sweet, refreshing flavor of this cocktail can be just the ticket for awakening the taste buds, prior to tucking into Peruvian local cuisine. For many bars across the country it holds a special place as the prize cocktail on the menu, and forms a genuine part of the country's national heritage.
There are two main seasons in Peru, wet and dry. However, the weather varies greatly depending on the geographical region. You have the Andean mountains and highlands running through the middle of the country, the dry coastal desert along the west of the country and you have the tropical Amazon jungle to the east. In general the overall temperature is mostly influenced by altitude: the higher you go, the cooler it gets.
Don't listen to the guidebooks, Lima is an remarkable city and you can find out why on a customizable Peru vacation with the travel experts at Peru For Less. Since Machu Picchu gained worldwide attention as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, there has been an influx of visitors to the site. Many of these travelers pass right through the Peruvian capital on their way to the ancient citadel. What they are missing is a wealth of culture, history, cuisine, and adventure in Lima.
Not many trips end with the sense of having made a significant difference to real people in real need. But I've recently returned from such an experience in a remote community in Northern Peru. A friend introduced me to the tour, a part of a larger travel company's offerings of sustainable eco-tourism, back in December. The notion of helping and getting to know others living in a different culture appealed to me strongly.
The Amazon jungle or Amazon rainforest is the largest area of lowland rainforest in the world and one of the last great wilderness areas on Earth. Many people think of Brazil when they hear the word "Amazon" but there are also huge areas of trackless, primary rainforest in several other South American countries, including Peru. Some of the wildest and most diverse areas of the Amazon are found within Peru's borders. |
